Hi again! Sorry for the slow update, but you know how school work weighs you down! As a result of all the school work, this chapter is maybe not as good as it could be, but I wanted to get an update up and out of the way! As always, please R+R!

Disclaimer: The things that belong to Chris Ryan on here are not mine!!!

Two months earlier...

A knock at the door alerted General Luis Manteca.

"Come," he ordered.

The wooden door creaked open and in walked a tall, slim man, all dressed in black. The General acknowledged the dark eye mask and the cocky swagger that the man had become accustomed to.

"Sit," the General barked at him sharply. "And what is your name?"

"I don't think that this is the time or place for pleasantries," the man said smoothly, "But you may call me...Shadow."

The General raised his eyebrows slightly, then held his hand out for Shadow to shake. Naturally, Shadow ignored the outstretched arm.

"Humph," Shadow muttered. "What did you call me for General? A mission, I hope."

"Of course," said the General, snapping back into action.

For a minute or so, the General rummaged around in a drawer in his desk. Finding what he was looking for, he straightened up and slid a package across the table. Shadow opened up the package and blinked hard.

"Kids?" he asked.

"Kids," General Manteca nodded.

"But they look so sweet, so...innocent," said Shadow, letting his hard shell slip-slide away.

"Sweet? Innocent? You must be joking," sneered the General. "These kids...well, let's just say I fell into their trap."

"I see," Shadow raised an eyebrow. "So, you want me to kill these kids?"

General Manteca nodded.

"Any reasons, any preferred method of death?" Shadow rattled off his usual questions.

"The reason is classified. Preferred method of death... something slow. I want them to suffer just as much as I have," the General smirked to himself.

"Of course, sir," Shadow was amused by the General's delight in the moment that he had so obviously been looking forward to for such a long time. "There is of course, the matter of the fee. What do you feel comfortable with?"

"Well, how much are you used to?" the General asked, baffled.

"Two hundred grand," Shadow automatically said, aware that it was a higher price than ever he had been paid before, but also that General Manteca had no ideas whatsoever when it came to prices.

Without thinking, the General held out his hand and barked, "Done."

Sorry that it was quite short! The next chapter, which I will start either later today or tomorrow, will be longer. Promise! Please review!